Chapter 1 Introducing Elvis Presley In This Chapter ▶ Outlining Elvis’s place in American history ▶ Summarizing Elvis’s life ▶ Tracking Elvis’s popularity from beginning to end n the one hand, Elvis Presley needs no introduction, because his name Oand face are recognized around the world as the ultimate celebrity. Imitators re-create his act; late-night comedians joke about him; cable chan- nels rerun his movies; and merchandisers exploit his image on everything from T-shirts to lamps. On the other hand, the reasons for his fame have become lost in the trappings of celebrity, especially for younger generations born after his death on August 16, 1977. For the original fans, who have remained loyal for over 50 years, Elvis earned his reputation as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll; for others, discovering why he deserved his fame and a place in American cultural history may be a revelation. In this chapter, I introduce you to Elvis Presley through the high points of his life and career, including his post-death popularity. This chapter sets up an extensive exploration of Elvis Presley — the cultural icon — that details the events of his life, explains the significance of his music, and contemplates his meaning to American pop culture. COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Identifying a Cultural Icon Almost everyone knows that Elvis Presley was a famous singer, but many people don’t fully understand what he contributed to popular music to earn his widespread fame. Elvis combined different types of music to form a style called rockabilly, which became one of the key sounds in rock ’n’ roll. To form this musical style, he fused the country-western music of the South with the rhythm and blues of African Americans and the pop music that dominated the radio and recording industries. 10 Part I: From Rockabilly to Rock ‘n’ Roll The combination of musical genres and sounds into a new style of music was Elvis’s true gift and his contribution to popular culture. That this integra- tion of musical styles took place just prior to the civil rights movement, prefig- uring social integration, makes this moment in pop culture history seem momentous. Elvis wasn’t the first to sing in a rock ’n’ roll style, so he can’t be credited with inventing it. But, his version of this new music became widely popu- lar during the mid-1950s. He spread rock ’n’ roll music across the country, making it popular to a wide audience, especially teenagers. In that regard, he was a true innovator. (For more information on Elvis’s start in music, see Chapter 2). Elvis also yielded a strong influence on youth culture. During the 1950s, teen- agers had begun to think of themselves as being different from their parents’ generation. Because of the economic prosperity of the period, teens enjoyed a disposable income that they could spend on themselves instead of con- tributing toward family survival. With that money they dressed themselves in fashions marketed to their age group, went to movies that featured stars of their generation, and listened to music that appealed to them. So it wasn’t a surprise when Presley’s rock ’n’ roll music, his hairstyle, and his fashion sense became a part of this new culture for teenagers. (For more information on the burgeoning youth culture, see Chapter 5.) Later in his career, Presley changed his musical style and his personal look to keep up with the times and gain popularity among older audiences. He became a movie star during the 1960s and then returned to live musical performances during the 1970s. Because his career went through so many changes, he was popular with different types of people for different reasons. Even after his death, his popularity remains strong among a wide variety of people. This wide popularity, as well as his important role in American musi- cal history, makes him a cultural icon. Uncovering the Roots of Elvis’s Music On January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Aron Presley was born a half hour after his stillborn twin brother, Jesse Garon. Thus, the occasion was a mixed blessing to parents Vernon and Gladys Presley, who lived in a two- room shotgun shack on the wrong side of the tracks in Tupelo. A true son of the South, Elvis never ventured far from his roots, physically or musically. While a young boy in Tupelo, Elvis learned to play the guitar from relatives, and then he fell under the influence of country-western singer Mississippi Slim. Chapter 1: Introducing Elvis Presley 11 It wasn’t until his family moved to Memphis that Elvis’s real musical education began. The diversity of music on Memphis’s radio stations exposed Elvis to a variety of genres, which eventually influenced his music. Several radio sta- tions played country music, and big band music was broadcast from the famed Peabody Hotel. Rhythm-and-blues artists could be heard on two differ- ent radio stations: WDIA and WHBQ. WDIA was owned by two white men, but it was mostly staffed by black disc jockeys who played the locally produced records of hometown bluesmen. WHBQ played a variety of music, but it’s best remembered for disc jockey Dewey Phillips’s Red Hot and Blue program that showcased the recordings of black artists. Memphis also developed into the center for white gospel music during the 1950s, so the four-part harmonies of the gospel quartets who regularly visited the city became another influence on the teenage Elvis. He and his parents, and later he and his girlfriend, regularly attended the all-night gospel sings at Ellis Auditorium. In addition, the city’s Beale Street district was home to the clubs and joints where African American musicians played blues and rhythm and blues. Elvis became familiar with the music of the well-known local R&B artists, including B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, and Big Memphis Ma Rainey. All these Southern-based musical genres inspired Elvis’s early singing style, which turned out to be a true fusion of sounds. (For more information on Elvis’s early years, see Chapter 2.) Recording for Sun Studio Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Studio and a small Memphis-based record com- pany also called Sun, recorded the music of blues and R&B musicians. He was quoted in local papers as saying, “If I could find a white man who could sing with the sound and feel of a black man, I could make a billion dollars.” Little did he know that Elvis would soon walk right through his doorway. Elvis’s ability to integrate Southern musical genres into a blend of beat and rhythm was exactly what Phillips was looking for. However, it took some time before the two walked into the studio together and made history with Elvis’s first recording, “That’s All Right,” which was an old blues tune originally writ- ten and recorded by Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. Elvis’s interpretation of the song featured a relaxed vocal style, upbeat tempo, and a driving rhythm as well as these two elements that would make his sound famous: ✓ Syncopated lyrics using a hiccupping sound ✓ Reverberation for an echo effect 12 Part I: From Rockabilly to Rock ‘n’ Roll Elvis’s sound became the essence of rockabilly, though no one called it by that name at the time. A few days after his first recording, Elvis and the two musicians who backed him up — guitarist Scotty Moore and bass player Bill Black — recorded the bluegrass classic “Blue Moon of Kentucky” as the flip side to “That’s All Right,” giving Elvis his first single. (To read more about this single, check out Chapter 2.) Sam Phillips took this first record to disc jockey Dewey Phillips (no relation to Sam) to play on his Red Hot and Blue radio program as well as to other deejays at other stations. By the end of the month, “That’s All Right” was shooting up the local charts, and Elvis made his first major public appear- ance at the Overton Park Shell. Gaining a fan base From the summer of 1954 to the end of 1955, Elvis and his band, who called themselves the Hillbilly Cat and the Blue Moon Boys, enjoyed success as a Southern-based country-western act. Even though their music sounded decidedly different from typical country music, their status as white Southern singers classified them and their music as “country.” They cut four more singles for Sun Studio and toured across the South on the same bill as such well-known country acts as Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, Hank Snow, Faron Young, and Ferlin Husky. Elvis’s singing style wasn’t the only unique feature of his high-powered act. As he crisscrossed the South, his performing style evolved to become a unique, highly energetic part of an Elvis Presley performance. Dressed in outrageously colorful clothes — such as those worn by R&B artists down on Beale Street — Elvis moved throughout his entire act, bouncing on the balls of his feet, shaking his legs, and swiveling his hips. In addition, bass player Bill Black, something of a comedian, danced and rolled around on the floor with his huge bass fiddle. The trio’s frenzied performances were considered by some venues to be too wild, and other country performers hated to follow their act, but their weekly appearances on the Louisiana Hayride radio pro- gram brought them wide exposure across the South and a loud, raucous, and youthful fan base. In The Nashville Sound: Bright Lights and Country Music by Paul Hemphill, coun- try singer Bob Luman recalls seeing Elvis when Luman was still a teenager in Kilgore, Texas: “This cat came out in red pants and a green coat and a pink shirt and socks, and he had this sneer on his face and he stood behind the mike for five minutes, I’ll bet, before he made a move.